MXPA00002551A - Substantially paper container - Google Patents

Abstract

A substantially paper container has a top end closure adapted to be removed for opening the container and repositioned for closing the container. The container includes a tubular body of substantially paper material, a cup-shaped end closure of substantially paper material and a cup-shaped membrane having an outer upwardly-extending rim portion of substantially the same height as an upwardly-extending rim portion of the cup-shaped end closure. The membrane and end closure are positioned in an open upper end portion of the body in superimposed relationship with the membrane below the end closure. An upper area of the upper end portion of the body extends above the superimposed rim portions of the membrane and the end closure and is folded inwardly over and around the upper ends of the superimposed rim portions. Bonds, preferably heat-sealed bonds, are formed between an outside surface of the membrane rim portion and an inside surface of the body and between an inside surface of the end closure rim portion and the inside surface of the folded-over upper end of the body. A cut extends circumferentially of the upperend portion of the body and extends inwardly through the body and the membrane rim portion, but not through the end closure rim portion, so that the end closure with the folded-over body upper end portion and the membrane rim portion, which are above the cut, can be removed from and replaced in the body upper end portion.

Description

A CONTAINER MADE SUBSTANTIALLY OF PAPER FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a container made substantially of paper having a closure at the upper end adapted to be removed, to open the container in order to supply the product contained therein and repositioned to close the container in order to store the remaining product in it.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Previously, containers that were used primarily for dry foods and powdered products were constructed of a tubular body member (cylindrical and non-cylindrical) of mixed material that was substantially constructed of paper material and end closure elements to close the ends opposing openings of the body element and which were generally constructed of metal or plastic material. Due to the expense of constructing a container having different materials for one or both end closures from the tubular body member and due to the fact that recycling the entire container was difficult when they were made of multiple materials, the need arises for a container substantially made of paper material and including both the tubular body member and end closure elements that are substantially constructed of paper material. While attempts have been made to produce containers having elements of the tubular body and end closures made substantially of paper material, those prior constructions of the container were costly in terms of production and construction thereof made it difficult to provide a satisfactory container that had a closure at the upper end adapted to be removed to open the container in order to distribute the product contained therein and replace it to close the container in order to store the remaining product therein.

OBJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Also, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved container substantially constructed of paper material and having a closure at the upper end adapted to be removed and repositioned. It has been found by means of this invention that the above object can be achieved by providing a container generally having the following construction. An element of the tubular body of material made substantially of paper and having inner and outer surfaces and upper and lower end portions open is constructed. A cup-shaped end closure element made of material made substantially of paper is constructed and has outer and inner surfaces and defines a generally planar central portion and an outer ridge portion extending upward, of predetermined height surrounding the portion central. A cup-shaped membrane element has outer and inner surfaces and defines a generally planar central portion and an outer ridge portion that extends upwardly of predetermined height, which is substantially equal to the height of the rim flange portion of the cup. end, and surrounds the central portion. The cup-shaped membrane element and the cup-shaped end closure element are positioned in the open upper end portion of the body member in overlapping relationship with the membrane element below the end closure element. The inner surface of the membrane element is adjacent to the outer surface of the end closure element along substantially the total height of the flange potions and the outer surface of the flange portion of the membrane element makes contact with the surface interior of the body element. An upper area of the upper end portion of the body member extends upwardly above the overlapping flange portions of the membrane element and the end closure element and is bent inwardly on and around the upper ends of the overlapping flange portions so that the inner surface of the folded upper end of the body member is in contact with the inner surface of the flange portion of the end closure element. Joins are formed between the outer surface of the flange portion of the membrane element and the inner surface of the body member and between the inner surface of the end closure flange portion and the inner surface of the bent upper end of the body member . A cut extends circumferentially and at least substantially around the upper end portion of the body member and extends inwardly through the body member and the flange portion of the membrane element., but not through the flange portion of the end closure element. With this construction, the end closure element with the upper end portion of the bent body member and the flange portion of the membrane element above the cut can be removed from and replaced at the upper end portion of the body member by below the cut. Preferably, the pull tab member is provided, to assist in removing the membrane from the upper end portion of the container body member after removal of the end closure member. The pull tab element is in the form of a strip of material placed on a portion only of the upper surface of the central portion and the flange portion of the membrane element. A joint is provided between the lower surface of the pull tab member and the inner surface of the flange portion of the membrane member so that the pull tab can be easily attached. The connection between the pull-tab element and the membrane element is preferably stronger than the connection between the membrane element and the container body element, so that when the pull-tab is pulled the connection between the element of the pull-out element will be broken. membrane and the body element of the container. The cut is preferably defined by a lower edge bent inwardly in the body member to help control the fit between the end closure member and the body member during removal and replacement of the end closure element in the body member. body. It is also preferred that an area of the upper end portion of the bent body member, which is placed inside the cup-shaped end closure element, include an outwardly contoured shape to facilitate clamping when the body is removed. end closure element from the container body element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Some objects and advantages of this invention have been described above, other objects and advantages will appear in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention that will be described later, when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with this invention and shows the closure element at the upper end thereof removed or separated; Figure 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view, taken generally along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 with the closure element of the upper end in position in the container; Figure 3 is a view, like that of Figure 2, of a container of the prior art to illustrate the difference in construction of the container of this invention and that of the prior art; Figure 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view through the container of Figure 1 and illustrates the upper end closure element removed or detached from the container; Figure 5 is a view, like that of Figure 4, with the membrane element of the container also removed and separated therefrom; Figure 6 is a view, like that of Figure 4, with the upper end closure element repositioned in the container after removal of the membrane element; Figure 7 is a schematic view illustrating several layers of the material that was used for various elements of the container component; and Figure 8 is a partial perspective view of the container having a lid or a hinged portion that connects the upper end closure element to the container after the removal of the upper end portion thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 4-8 illustrate a preferred embodiment of this invention and Figure 3 illustrates a construction of the prior art. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4-8, a container made substantially of paper, which is generally indicated as 10, includes the following construction. An element of the tubular body 12 having outer and inner surfaces 13, 14 and opposite upper and lower end portions, is formed in any desired shape, for example cylindrical or non-cylindrical, and may be spirally wound, convolutely wound, linearly stretched or built in another way The body member 12 is made of material substantially made of paper and preferably comprises a mixed material that includes (as shown in Figure 7) a layer of cardboard material 15 and an inner lining layer 16 that includes a sealed film material with heat forming the inner surface 14 of the element of the tubular body 12. The cardboard material 15 can be any conventional cardboard or cardboard material that is used to build this type of body member 12 and has a thickness between 0.02 and about 0.08 cm, preferably between about 0.03 and 0.07 cm, for example 0.05 cm. The cardboard material conventionally used in the manufacture of spirally wound containers is commercially available from several manufacturers including Sonoco Products Company, Republic Paperboard Corporation and Middletown Board Corporation. To function usefully in the body member 12, the cardboard material is typically composed of Kraft paper or recycled paper and can vary from, for example, 22.70 to 45.4 kg / ream. In some cases, the cardboard material may include a weak outer layer, for example an outer paper layer of 0.007 cm. The liner layer 16 is in a conventional manner, spirally wound on the inside of the layer of the cardboard material 15 when the tubular body element 12 is spirally wound or is otherwise placed within the layer of material of cardboard 15 when the tubular body element 12 is constructed in another way and can be usefully, a flexible sheet material, barrier type such as polymer / metal foil, a Kraft paper / metal foil / polymer, a polymer / polymer, or a Kraft paper / foil sheet having an inner polycoated layer that forms the inner surface 14 which is heat sealed in the tubular body member 12. If desired, the container may also include a label layer (not shown). The container 10 further includes a cup-shaped end closure element 20 made of material substantially made of paper and has inner and outer surfaces 21, 22 and defines a generally planar central portion 23 and an external flange portion extending upwardly. 24 of predetermined height and surrounding the central portion 23. The cup-shaped end closure element 20 is preferably constructed (as shown in Figure 7) of a mixed material which may include a layer of cardboard material 26 and a layer of heat sealed film material 27 forming the inner surface 22 of the end closure element 20. The mixed material forming the end closure element may also include a layer 28 forming the outer surface 22 thereof which may be of the same material as the lining layer 16 of the tubular body member 12, as described above. The cardboard material 26 which was used in the end closure 20 may be constructed of the same cardboard material as was used for the layer 15 of the tubular body member 12, as described above. The heat sealed film layer 27 forming the inner surface 21 of the end closure element 20 can be any suitable heat sealed polymer or paper coated polymer. The container 10 further includes a cup-shaped membrane element 30 having outer and inner surfaces 31, 32 and defining a generally planar central portion 33 and an upwardly extending external flange portion 34 surrounding the central portion 33. The flange portion of the membrane member 34 has a predetermined height substantially equal to the height of the flange portion of the end closure member 24 (as shown in Figure 2). This membrane element 30 (as shown in Fig. 7) is preferably constructed of a mixed material or coextruded material which if necessary can include a heat sealed film / barrier 37, a substrate 36 and strength material and sealed coating with heat 38. An example of the membrane 30 can be a coextruded mixture of LDPE and EMA MET PET / LDPE. The cup-shaped membrane element 30 and the cup-shaped end closure element 20 are placed in the open upper end portion of the body member 12 (as shown in Figure 2) in overlapping relationship with the element. of membrane 30 below the end closure element 20 and has the inner surface 32 of the membrane element 30 adjacent to the outer surface 21 of the end closure element 20 along substantially the total height of the flange portions 24 , 34 and the outer surface 31 of the membrane element 30 makes contact with the inner surface 14 of the body member 12. An upper area 18 of the upper end portion of the body member 12 extends upwardly above the portions of overlapping flange 24, 34 of end closure member 20 and membrane member 30 and is bent inwardly on and around the upper ends of these portions of flange 24, 34 so that the inner surface 14 of the folded upper end 18 of the body member 12 is in contact with the inner surface 22 of the flange portion of the end closure element 24. A junction 40 is formed between the outer surface 31 of the flange portion of the membrane member 34 and the inner surface 14 of the body member 12 (as shown in Figure 12). A joint 41 is also formed between the inner surface 22 of the flange portion of the end closure member 24 and the inner surface 14 of the folded upper end 18 of the body member 12 (as shown in figure 2). These junctions 40, 41 are preferably thermal seals formed between the heat sealed layers 16 of the body member 12 and the heat sealed layer 37 of the membrane element 30 and between the heat sealed layer 16 of the body member 12 and the layer heat seal 27 of the end closure element 20. The membrane member 30 may further include a pull tab member 45 to assist in removing the membrane element 30 from the upper portion of the body member 12 of the container 10. pull tab element 45 (as shown in Fig. 7) may be constructed of a strip of mixed material including a suitable substrate layer 46 which may be PET and a layer of heat sealed film material 47 which may be LDPE and that forms a lower surface of the pull tab 45. The pull tab member 45 may also include a layer of material to give the tongue stiffness and may be a machine grade kraft paper. The pull tab element 45 is placed on a portion only of the upper surface of the central portion 33 and the flange portion 34 of the membrane element 30 (as shown in Figure 1) with the heat sealed film material 47 forming the inner surface in contact with it. A union 48, which may be in the form of a thermal seal, adhesor a combination thereof, is formed between the pull tab 45 and the flange portion 34 of the membrane element 30. This joint 48 is stronger than the joint 40 between the membrane element 30 the container body element 12 so that when pulling the pull tab element 45 the junction 40 between the membrane element 30 and the body of the container 12 will be broken when it is desired to remove the element from the container element 12. membrane. A cut 50 extends circumferentially and substantially around the upper end portion of the body member 12 and extends inwardly through the body member 12 and the flange portion of the membrane member 34 and the pull tab member 45. , but not through the flange portion 24 of the end closure element 20, so that the end closure element 20 with the upper end portion of the bent body member 18 and the flange portion of the membrane element 34 and the pull tab element 45 above the cut 50 can be removed from the upper end portion of the body member 12 (as shown in Figure 4) and repositioned in the upper end portion of the body member 12. below the cut 50 (as shown in figure 6). The cut 50 may preferably be defined by a lower edge folded inwardly 51 in the body member 12 (as shown in Figures 4-6) to help control the fit between the end closure element 20 during removal and replacement of the end closure element 20 in the body member 12. An area 53 of the upper end of the bent body element 18 that is placed on the inside of the cup-shaped end closure element 20 may include a contoured shape outwardly (as shown in Figure 2) to facilitate clamping thereof when removing said end closure element from said end closure element 20 of said container body element 12. As shown in Figure 8 , the cut 50 may extend only partially around the upper end portion of the body member 12 to leave a small uncut portion extending circumferentially defining a cap 56 to allow the end closure element 20 to be removed from the body member 12 and remain partially attached thereto by means of the cap 56 for ease of removal and replacement of the end closure element 20 in the body member 12 after the membrane element 30 has been removed and the product has been dispensed from the container 10. The cut 50 can, of course, also extend around the body member 12 to allow a complete removal of the element end closure 20 (as shown in figure 1). With the above construction of the container made substantially of paper 10, the container can be opened to del product contained therein by holding the contoured portion 53 of the bent upper end portion 18 of the body member 12 that is above the cut 50. and lifting the end closure 20 with the upper end portion of the bent body member 18 and the membrane rim portion 34 and the pull tab member 45 (extending above the cut 50) out of the portion of the body. upper end of the body member 12 (as shown in Figure 4). The membrane element 30 can then be removed from the remaining upper end portion of the body member 12 by holding the pull tab 45 and breaking the joint 40 between the membrane flange portion 34 and the body element 12. With the membrane element 30 removed (as shown in figure 5), the contents of the container can be supplied. The end closure element 20 with the upper end portions of the body element bent 16 and the membrane flange portion 34 and the pull tab 45 above the cut 50 can then be repositioned in the upper end portion of the tubular body member 12 to close the container 10 again (as shown in figure 6). This improved construction of the container made substantially of paper 10 is an improvement of the substantially paper-based container of the prior art (which is described in US Patent No. 5,566,529)., which was issued on October 22, 1996) shown in Figure 3 and where the reference numbers with principal annotations are used for similar parts. The flange portion 24 'of the end closure element 20' extends substantially above the flange portion 34 'of the membrane member 30' so that the joint 41 'may be formed between an outer surface of the flange portion. end closure 24 'and the inner surface of the body member 12' and a joint 40 'can be formed between the outer surface of the flange portion of the membrane member 34' and the inner surface of the body member 12 '. If the end portion 24 ', 34' of end closure element and membrane member 20 ', 30' had a similar height, these junctions 40 ', 41', along the outer surfaces of these portions of flange could not be met. Also, the cut 50 'which allows the removal of the end closure element 20' from the body member 12 'must be placed in an area between the joints 40' and 41 '. This prior art construction of a container 10 'created tolerance problems regarding the fabrication at the location of these joints 40', 41 'and cut 50'. The improved construction of the container 10 of the present invention overcomes this problem by locating the joints 40, 41 and the cut 50, as described above. Also, the construction of the container 10 of the present invention includes other features that are not present in the prior art container 10 ', as also described above. The invention has been described in detail with regard to the preferred embodiment. However, variations and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention, as described in the above specification and as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (9)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. A container made substantially of paper having a closure at the upper end adapted to be removed to open the container in order to distribute the product contained therein and repositioned to close the container in order to store the remaining product therein said container comprises: a tubular body member made of substantially paper material and having inner and outer surfaces and upper and lower end portions open; a cup-shaped end closure element made of substantially paper material and having outer and inner surfaces and defining a generally planar central portion and an externally extending upwardly extending ridge portion of predetermined height and surrounding said central portion; a cup-shaped membrane element having outer and inner surfaces and defining a generally planar central portion and an external ridge portion extending upwardly of predetermined height substantially equal to said height of said rim portion of the rim member; end closure and surrounding said central portion; said cup-shaped membrane element and said cup-shaped end closure element are positioned in said open upper end portion of said body member in overlapping relationship with said membrane element below said end closure element and having said inner surface of said membrane element adjacent to said outer surface of said end closure element along substantially the height of said flange portions and having said outer surface of said flange portion of said element. membrane making contact with said inner surface of said body member; and an upper area of said upper end portion of said body member extending upwardly of the superimposed flange portions of said membrane element and said end closure element and bent inwardly on and around the ends said upper flange portions superimposed such that said inner surface of said bent upper end of said body member is in contact with said inner surface of said flange portion of the end closure member; the junctions between said outer surface of said flange portion of the membrane element and said inner surface of said body member and between said lower surface of said flange portion of the end closure member and said inner surface said bent upper end of said element body element; and a cut extending circumferentially and substantially around said portion of the upper end of said body member and extending inwardly through said body member and said flange portion of the membrane element, but not through said membrane element. flange portion of the end closure element, so that said end closure element with said upper end portion of the bent body member and said flange portion of the membrane element above said cut can be removed from and replaced in said portion of the upper end of the body member below said cut.

2. A container made substantially of paper according to claim 1, further characterized in that it includes a pull tab element to help remove said membrane element from said position of the upper end of said body member of said container; said pull-tab element comprises a strip of material placed on a portion only of said upper surface of said central portion and said flange portion of said membrane element, and a connection between a lower surface of said pull-tab element and said inner surface of said flange portion of said membrane element.

3. A container made substantially of paper in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said connection between said pull tab element and said membrane element is stronger than said connection between the membrane element and said container body element, so that pulling said pull tab will break said union between the membrane element and said container body element.

4. A container made substantially of paper, according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further characterized in that the joints are thermal seals.

5. A container made substantially of paper according to claim 4, further characterized in that the tubular body element is constructed from a mixed material including a layer of cardboard material and a layer of heat sealed film material which forms said inner surface thereof; said cup-shaped membrane element is constructed of a mixed material including a substrate layer and a layer of heat-sealed film material forming said outer surface thereof; and said cup-shaped end closure element is constructed of a mixed material including a layer of cardboard material and a layer of heat sealed film material forming said inner surface thereof.

6. A container made substantially of paper according to claim 1, further characterized in that said cut is defined by a lower edge bent inwardly in said body member to help control the adjustment between said end closure element and said body element during the removal and replacement of said end closure element in said body member.

7. A container made substantially of paper according to claim 1, further characterized in that an area of said upper end of the bent body element placed inside said cup-shaped end closure element includes an outwardly contoured shape for facilitating the clamping thereof when said end closure element of said element is removed from the body of the container.

8. A container made substantially of paper, having a closure at the upper end adapted to be removed to open the container in order to distribute the product contained therein and repositioned to close the container in order to store the product remaining therein, said container comprises: an element of the tubular body having inner and outer surfaces and open upper and lower end portions, said tubular body element being constructed of a mixed material including a layer of cardboard material and a layer of heat sealed film material forming said inner surface thereof; a cup-shaped end closure element having exterior and interior surfaces and defining a generally planar central portion and an external ridge portion extending upwardly of predetermined height and surrounding said central portion, said closure element end is constructed of a mixed material including a layer of cardboard material and a layer of heat sealed film material forming said inner surface thereof; a cup-shaped membrane element having exterior and interior surfaces and defining a generally planar central portion and an external ridge portion extending upwardly of predetermined height substantially equal to said height of said rim portion of the closure element at the end and surrounding said central portion, said membrane element constructed of a mixed material including a substrate material and a layer of heat sealed film material forming said outer surface thereof; said cup-shaped membrane element and said cup-shaped end closure element are positioned in said open upper end portion of said body member in overlapping relationship with said membrane element below said end closure element and having an inner surface of said membrane element adjacent said outer surface of said closing element along substantially the height of said flange portions and having said surface sealed with external heat of said portion of the element flange. of membrane making contact with the sealed surface with internal heat of said portion of the body; an upper area of said upper portion of said body member extends upwardly of said superimposed flange portions of said membrane element and said end closure element, and bent inwardly on and around the upper ends of said elements. overlapping flange portions so that said inner heat sealed surface of said bent upper end of said body member is in contact with said sealed surface with inner heat of said flange portion of the end closure element; seal joints with heat between said sealed surface with external heat of said membrane flange portion and said sealed surface with said internal body heat and between said sealed surface with internal heat of said flange portion of the end closure element and said inner heat sealed surface of said folded upper end of said body member; a cut extending circumferentially and substantially around said portion of the upper end of said body member and extending inwardly through the body member and said flange portion of the membrane element, but not through said portion of said element. flange of the end closure element, so that said end closure with said upper end portion of the bent body member and said flange portion of the membrane element above said cut can be removed from and replaced in said end portion of the body member below the cut, said cut is defined by a lower edge bent inwardly in said body member to help control the fit between said end closure element and said body element during the removal and replacement of the body. said end closure element on said body member; a pull tab element to assist in removing said membrane element from said upper end portion of said body member of said container, said pull tab element being constructed of a mixed material including a substrate layer and a layer of a heat-sealed film material forming a lower surface thereof, said pull-tab element is placed on a part only of the inner surface of said central portion and said flange portion of said membrane element with said material heat-sealed film in contact therewith; and a heat seal union between said pull-tab element and said membrane element that is stronger than said bond between said membrane element and said container body element so that when pulling said pull tab, the connection between said membrane element and said element of the body of the container will be broken.; and an area of said upper end of the bent body member is placed within the cup-shaped end closure element that includes an outwardly contoured shape to facilitate clamping thereof when said end closure is removed from said body of the container .

9. A container made substantially of paper according to claim 1 or 8, further characterized in that said cut extends only partially around said portion of the upper end of said body member to leave a small portion without cuts that are extends circumferentially defining a cap to allow said end closure element to be removed from said portion of the upper end of the body member and to remain partially attached thereto by the cap for ease of removal and replacement of said element. closing the end in said portion of the upper end of the body member after the removal of said membrane element and after the product has been distributed from said container. APPENDIX SHEET SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A container made substantially of paper has a closure at the upper end adapted to be removed to open the container in order to distribute the product contained therein and repositioned to close the container in order to store the remaining product therein; the container includes a tubular body of material made substantially of paper, a cup-shaped end closure element made of material made substantially of paper and a cup-shaped membrane element having an external flange portion extending upwardly of substantially the same height as a flange portion extending upwardly of the cup-shaped end closure element; the membrane element and the end closure element are placed in an open upper end portion of the body member in overlapping relationship with the membrane element below the end closure element; an upper area of the upper end portion of the body member extends above the superimposed flange portions of the membrane element and the end closure element and is bent inwardly on and around the upper ends of the portions of overlapping flange; the joints, preferably heat-sealed joints, are formed between an outer surface of the flange portion of the membrane element and an inner surface of the body member and between an inner surface of the flange portion of the end closure element and the interior surface of the folded upper end of the body element; a cut extends circumferentially and substantially around the upper end portion of the body member and extends inwardly through the body member and the membrane flange portion, but not through the end closure flange portion. , so that the end closure element with the upper end portion of the bent body member and the flange portion of the membrane element, which are located above the cut, can be removed from and replaced in the upper end portion of the body. body element, which is below the cut. P00 / 320